Courtyard by Marriott Austin  University Area

Value, comfort and convenience to the University of Texas make this hotel a hit with visiting UT parents.

Parents, sports enthusiasts, visiting professors and others coming to the UT campus appreciate this hotel's location, which is also convenient to downtown (just a few miles away), the medical district and the North Austin corridor. With views of the downtown skyline from some rooms, this Courtyard Marriott offers luxury bedding, nicely done bathrooms with granite counters, flat-screen TVs, work stations and free Wi-Fi. Traveling execs can utilize the business center, while families can take advantage of suites and Executive King rooms with privacy walls and mini-fridges. In-room games are available for an additional fee. Facilities include an outdoor pool and relaxing gazebo, a fitness center and flexible and casual meeting spaces. The Courtyard Cafe offers hot and cold breakfast options. The bilingual staff is an added bonus.

When contemplating the origins of the best vodkas, places such as the former Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, Finland and other chilly climes come to mind. So what's a top vodka doing deep in the heart of Texas?

On the bottle of this inventive brew, you'll find a hand-scrawled "Weedwacker" label hastily pasted over the word "Lawnmower" — an allusion to the fact that the beer shares a recipe with Saint Arnold's best-selling Fancy Lawnmower.

When contemplating the origins of the best vodkas, places such as the former Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, Finland and other chilly climes come to mind. So what's a top vodka doing deep in the heart of Texas?

On the bottle of this inventive brew, you'll find a hand-scrawled "Weedwacker" label hastily pasted over the word "Lawnmower" — an allusion to the fact that the beer shares a recipe with Saint Arnold's best-selling Fancy Lawnmower.